The Mirror
by Alitote
Summary: There's a strange mirror just sitting at the back of the storage room, waiting for a day where once again poor little Mattie has been forgotten during another game of hide and seek with his brother. FACE family, mentions of 2P's, sorry if that's not your thing.
1. Chapter 1

He wouldn't have found it if it hadn't been for America forgetting about him during a game of hide and seek.

So he should probably be okay with the whole "Everyone forgets me thing" just this once right?

No, probably not…

Anyway, he wouldn't have found it if it hadn't been for America forgetting him (_again_) and leaving small Canada to explore the large storage room he'd hidden away in out of boredom.

Among the dusty boxes of disused furniture and important looking legal documents locked away in case they were needed was, well, _more_ dusty boxes and disused furniture and documents waiting to see the light of day once again.

But also, towards the back of the room, half covered in a white sheet that was slowly yellowing with age, was a tall, full length mirror. The glass was tarnished, the bronze gilded frame looking ancient and covered in cobwebs, and there was a small crack running up the glass from the frame for about six inches.

But the mirror held the boy's interest as he pulled the sheet up to fully look at himself, and sparked his curiosity when he found his reflection to not be there. In fact, on the other side all he saw was white sheet, as if he'd never lifted the fabric up at all.

"Strange…" He whispered, reaching out to touch the cool glass.

But before his fingers could make contact, from the other side a pale hand appeared and the sheet was lifted, a small blonde boy with a wayward curl bouncing in front of his face standing there blinking in surprise at him.

The reflection was of Canada… and yet it wasn't.

The boy's hair was longer than his, his eyes were darker, and there was a fixed scowl in place of the little colony's usual cheery grin.

Confused, little Canada quickly dropped the sheet and scurried to look behind the large mirror, seeing nothing there but a bout a foot of distance between the back of the large gilded frame and the wall. With nothing but dust and cobwebs between.

So how was the strange little boy able to look at him? He obviously wasn't Canada's reflection. And he couldn't possibly be behind the mirror…

Canada frowned, resolving to ask what was going on as he lifted the sheet to see no one there again. Just the white sheet covering everything on this imposter child's end.

That was to bad, Canada thought. He hadn't had a chance to properly greet the strange boy, and now he didn't know if he ever would.

And that was about the moment when America burst into the room, upsetting several boxes and causing a huge racket as he screamed he'd found Canada and that he was the Hero for winning the game.

Behind him England screamed not to make a mess and to get out of the room, as it was dangerous.

"How's a room full of dusty boxes and chairs dangerous?" America asked sarcastically, jumping up and down rambunctiously.

"There are things in there I don't want you messing with-you could get hurt."

"I'm so scared of a box of papers-oooh~" America laughed, shaking his arms in pretend fear as Canada stood in the doorway, watching between his brothers as they bickered in the hall.

"I'm serious America! Don't go in there!"

"Go to hell Engwand." America smiled, his usual line for ending conversations with their big brother. Canada wondered where America got the nerve but never questioned it.

"Is the mirror dangerous?" He asked England as America stormed away, humming the bars to some children's song and probably butchering them savagely

England frowned, as if realizing one of his colonies was still standing there-Canada had that affect on people, they'd lose awareness of their surroundings for some reason. He frowned, peering into the storage room at the large sheet-covered mirror.

"I'd forgotten that was there… no it was an enchanted mirror but the bloody thing doesn't work."

"What's it do?" Canada asked, awed by the idea of anything magic related.

"Well… I'm not sure really." England said sheepishly, marching inside the room and lifting the sheet to see nothing but more sheet on the other side much like Canada had, "I've had it for so long I don't remember honestly."

He lowered the fabric, turning to Canada and lifting him in his arms as they made their way back into the sun-lit hall, "The old thing doesn't work anyway, just forget about it love."

But Canada couldn't forget about it.

He instead thought about it constantly. He thought about it at dinner, he thought about it when America got him to play go fish, he thought about it while getting ready for bed, and he thought rather hard about it as he lay there in the dark curled up with Kumajiji tight in his arms.

He thought about how odd it was for a magic mirror to be sitting in his house right now, and it was stored away like Christmas decorations instead of being put to use. He thought about how odd that boy had looked and yet shared quite a few similar physical characteristics to himself.

He also thought it odd he wasn't before it right now, trying to get the boy to reappear. Because it did work, he'd seen it.

But if he told England, then he might lock it away where Canada couldn't get to it.


	2. Chapter 2

It was late, it was cold, and Canada's eyes were begging the boy for sleep.

And yet, the boy instead stood before the large and dusty mirror, covered in a yellowing sheet and waiting patiently for him to approach closer. The room had somehow grown colder during the night, and the boy shivered as he reached out to grip the sheet between his small hands. Pulling it up as slowly as he unwrapped Christmas presents, he made the suspense of waiting to see what was on the other side grow.

Only to disappoint himself as he saw only sheet reflected back at him once again. Why was it the sheet anyway? Was he forgotten by mirrors now too? Was it just part of the mirror's magic?

Reaching out a tentative hand, Canada pressed his palm to the cold glass, shivering because it felt like he was touching ice.

Then the glass rippled, as if he'd touched water, and Canada snapped his hand back to his side with a barely audible gasp. Instinct screamed at him to turn and walk away, realizing maybe this thing was dangerous after all. That maybe he should heed England's warning and get away quickly before he did something to get himself in trouble.

But in true child-like wonder and fascination, instead the boy touched the glass again, watching the small circles that rippled out across the glass and hit the frame where they disappeared. A small giggle of amusement found it's way out his mouth and he poked the glass with his finger, marveling at the circles that danced away across the glass.

But soon, the boy quickly grew bored with the activity and turned to investigating the rest of the mirror, wondering if there was a way to bring whoever he'd seen on the other side back. He didn't want to try calling out, as he could wake England or America up, and they'd both just get in the way of Canada's trying to see the mysterious stranger again. America by hogging the mirror to himself (as he did with all their toys) and England by probably locking the door and hiding the key.

He sighed, tapping his chin in thought and trying to think when he felt something nudge his back.

Fearing he'd been caught, Canada ellicited a small squeak and turned to see a black nose bump his own. The furry white snout nuzzling up to him as the polar bear moved closer to his friend.

"Who?" Kumajojo asked quietly, allowing Canada to breathe and recover from the shock before hugging the bear close as they both looked at the magic mirror.

"It's enchanted Kumachiro." Canada explained, "Look!" Swiftly, Canada reached out and touched his palm to the cold glass, allowing more ripples to be made.

"Weird." Kuma remarked, pressing his own paw to the glass and watching the reaction, "Is it safe?"

"Nothing's happened yet…" Canada said meekly, running his fingers lazily across the bear's snout, "Although earlier I saw a kid!"

"Is he safe?" Kuma wondered.

"I dunno, we only saw each other for like a minute." Canada admitted, "I'm trying to find a way to make him come back, but I can't think of anything."

Kuma frowned, touching his nose against the glass as he thought before shrugging and turning to his owner, "Leave him a note?"

"How?!" Canada cried.

"I dunno, that's your problem."

Canada considered bopping his bear on the head before deciding he didn't want to live with whatever injuries he'd sustain in the bear's retaliation. Plus if it was bad enough he'd have to wake England up to help him and then he'd ask what Canada had been doing and Canada didn't think he'd get away with lying…

Sighing, Canada looked around at his materials to work with. Mainly important documents and upset boxes, Canada sighed feeling like he was losing whatever challenge he'd taken up by messing with this mirror.

Canada sighed, feeling exhausted and from somewhere far off in the house he could hear the grandfather clock sounding.

Three chimes.

Three in the morning.

Feeling sleep begin to demand at his eyes and limbs, Canada groaned and clambered onto Kumajocho's back. Kuma gave a grunt of annoyance before reaching back to nuzzle his friend's head and turned to carry him out of the room.

This would be a task for the morning it seemed.


End file.
